Wednesday, January 10, 2007

There's a brand new low-carb blog I'd like to introduce you to that literally just came online this week. But I already like the positive attitude of the anonymous author of the blog who goes by the name "OnlineChristian." The blog is called "Low Carb Lollygagging."

If you've ever used that word "lollygagging" before, then you wouldn't think of it being associated with the structured discipline and order that is needed to be livin' la vida low-carb. But for "OnlineChristian," it works for him (or her!) to describe a philosophy about life that I wish more people would embrace.

"I am serious about my low carb living, but I want to have fun and live a little and laugh a little while doing it," OnlineChristian writes at his blog. "Life can't be all serious anyhow, can it??!!"

You've gotta love somebody that can laugh at themselves and at life, even if that life has not necessarily turned out the way you wanted it to--especially if you are morbidly obese. That's exactly where "OnlineChristian" finds himself at this point in time once weighing in at over 400 pounds. But he's doing something about it now losing nearly 40 pounds on the Atkins diet since mid-October 2006 and "just loving it!!!" His goal is to reach the same weight he was in high school.

"Somewhere around there where I feel good, am healthy, and living life well," he admitted.

While all the so-called health experts out there are telling people they need to eat 1200-calories-a-day along with disgusting low-fat foods in miniscule portions, "OnlineChristian" thumbs his nose up at these suggestions and reveals the shocking truth about the calories he is eating on his low-carb plan.

"I am losing weight while sometimes eating 4000 and 4500 calories, though truth be told many days I am eating more like 2000 - 3500."

HA! Did you hear that loud sucking sound?! It was the collective gasp of dietitians and nutritionists reading my blog RIGHT NOW as they stare at the screen trying to pick their jaw up off the floor after reading how many calories "OnlineChristian" eats in a day.

Yep, he said he's eating between 2000-4500 calories daily AND STILL LOSING WEIGHT!!! He doesn't mention anything about exercise, so the whole "calorie deficit" mumbo jumbo we always hear bantered about is not the reason. It's the miracle of livin' la vida low-carb, baby!

Like me, "OnlineChristian" wanted to find a way to not only lose weight, but to ward off hunger while doing it. Too much "burning intense hunger" while on a low-calorie diet for two years in a row before Atkins left a mark on him that he won't soon forget. But this isn't the first time weight loss has been attempted.

"When I was in my thirties I lost 100 lbs and kept it off for over two years. I lost the first 50 lbs on a NutriSystem prepackaged food program, and lost the second 50 lbs doing pretty much the same thing but eating MAJOR RABBIT FOOD (salads from McDonalds and Burger King, etc) and low calorie TV dinners like those from Healthy Choice and similar," he explained.

But he was still too hungry and didn't lose any weight without "running 3-8 miles each day and weight training as well for an hour to two hours each day." That honest to goodness pain he felt from the hunger on a low-calorie diet left "OnlineChristian" dizzy, sick, and disheartened about living this way for the rest of his life. There's a reason why low-calorie diets aren't necessarily healthy.

"I toughed it out to lose the weight and meet my goals," he stated.

That sounds like me back in 1999 when I was doing the whole low-fat, low-calorie, portion control diet thing. I lost a total of 170 pounds in 10 months that year primarily on the sheer inner determination I had to succeed. But the gig was up and all those months of STARVING caught up to me which led to a HUGE weight gain in only a few months.

Something similar happened to "OnlineChristian" as he grew weary of the low-calorie diet, too. Pretty soon, every bit of weight he had lost was right back on his body and 400 pounds was his reality...AGAIN!

That's when the Atkins diet swooped in to save the day providing healthy foods that keep his hunger at bay while knocking down any cravings and ditching all the "rules" of calorie watching. His blood sugar was in very bad shape before livin' la vida low-carb "fluctuating up and down and getting shaky and jittery when I needed a sugar fix and tired and kinda sleepy headed when I ate." But today it is "rock steady" with a fasting blood glucose reading of 90.

"This is probably the most important benefit I am deriving from this way of eating," OnlineChristian declared.

Acknowledging his surprise at how well livin' la vida low-carb is working for him, "OnlineChristian" is just so THRILLED to have found something that FINALLY works for him.

"Low carb is really impressing me as a wonderful way of life," he wrote. "I am losing weight, my blood sugar problems have all disapeared, and I am not having acid problems at all, I am never hungry (I get to eat, be full and comfortable) and I am feeling great!!! I hope that more than a diet, I can maintain this as an ongoing way of eating and way of life."

With that kind of attitude about it, there's no doubt in my mind that you WILL succeed! GO FOR IT!!! Just don't ever give up on it and you can't help but triumph over your obesity!

I was honored to see a blog post from "OnlineChristian" about me called "The Ever Enthusiastic Jimmy Moore!" which included some very flattering remarks about the work I am doing to promote the low-carb lifestyle to the masses.

"Jimmy strikes me as a 'regular guy' (which is very refreshing) who has found this wonderful secret to weight loss and living and can hardly contain himself as he finds one new and exciting thing after another to share with his readers and listeners."

Yes, I am just your average, everyday fella who just happened to lose a bunch of weight. If I can help people with what I write about at my blog, then I'm gonna do it. And "OnlineChristian" understands clearly my mission for doing what I am doing at my blogs and podcast show.

"His positive attitude is absolutely contagious and he will help you get motivated to learn about and try this low carb lifestyle."

Gee, thanks so much, "OnlineChristian." What an interesting person you are and I look forward to reading many more outstanding posts at the "Low Carb Lollygagging" blog. You WILL be succesful at not just losing weight, but also keeping it off for good this time because the hunger issue is NOT a problem for you anymore. Stable blood sugar and your desire to reach the weight you were in high school will propel you to GREAT weight loss success!

3 Comments:

At well over 300 pounds I'm not surprized he's losing weight on that number of calories. I once could eat 2150 calories and still lose weight - but I was pretty heavy then! Now, at a normal weight, I'd gain on that number of calories.

Yeah, some people -especially those that use any kind of medications- have to resort to caloric restriction i.e. portion control. However the vast majority of low-carbers does not have to. After more than 10 years of keeping the weight off with a controlled carb dietary regimen, I still consume on average twice to three times the number of calories I used to gain on when I was trapped in the Calorie Lie. The point is that everyone has a different metabolism. Generally, weight gain is a function of a disturbed carbohydrate metabolism, and the degree of impairment or disturbance varies from person to person. That's why quantitative and qualitative carbohydrate control -and not calorie restriction- works much more efficient & effective for most dieters.

I've said it before and I'll say it again: The Calorie Theory might be a established scientific fact - but the Calorie Theory as applied to nutritional science is absurd.

Thanks for the wonderful mention Jimmy!! I have been very encourage reading the daily blogs of low carbers like the Great Jimmy Moore, Lady Atkins, and others for some time now. It's how I have learned the little bit I know about lowcarb, and a source of constant encouragement!!

Lady Atkins is absolutely right in all likelyhood that once I descend very near to goal that I may have to watch what I am doing. But for a person who has lost significant weight before with real misery on a reduced calorie diet, this Atkins low carb diet is SO TERIFFIC!!!

And it is sort of amazing to lose weight, EAT, not really work out, and feel so super!

I AM LOSING WEIGHT, and I am EATING, and I am NOT HUNGRY, and I FEEL ABSOLUTELY GREAT!

Keep on doing all the good things you all are doing! I very much appreciate it!